To reach Cowes you need to travel across the island from your entry point at Newhaven. Cowes is the largest of the towns on Phillip Island and has a great variety of shops, restaurants, and accommodation.

Sometimes its popularity can also be its downfall as the streets become quite busy and basics such as grocery shopping and parking your car can become a bit of a task at peak times. This is common to many of the popular sea side towns on Melbourne's Bays so a traffic jam or two should not be unexpected.

Cowes has been undergoing a well needed, progressive face lift over the past five or so years. Many of the restaurants have been re-fitted and their are some great new cafes with excellent coffee and food.

Cowes certainly has the position and outlook to warrant the investment in facilities. Any traveler re-visiting the area (especially following an extended leave of absence) will be pleased with its transformation.

The beaches at Cowes are excellent for swimming, clean and safe for children. Even at the busiest of times, the beaches never seem too crowded.

There are some great take away restaurants in the area, so if you can handle the seagulls (and flies this year!), an evening dinner on the lawns overlooking the pier and bay is very pleasant.